Upcoming Christie's Auction In Geneva, November 17, 2008...

Christie's Important Watches Auction Next Week In Geneva

Christie's Auction house is having an Important Watches Auction next week on Monday, November 17, 2008 in Geneva Switzerland. There are some really nice Rolex Historical pieces on the auction block and I thought I would share a few beauties with you.

This first piece is a Rolex Oyster reference 2081 Cushion-shaped 32mm wristwatch stamped with the Glasgow import letter for 1937. The reason this watch is very interesting to me is because it was made at the same time as the first Rolex made Paneria watches. The design language between the Panerai and Rolex Oyster are uncanny. [Lot 12. Sold for $3161]

This next stainless steel 36mm Rolex Explorer is most interesting. Its Rolex reference number is 6098 and it was made in 1950. It has a two-tone silvered dial. Christie's points out that at the time the Rolex Explorer was "the largest, hence most practical and readable of all models in production at the time." [Lot 344]

Next is this ultra rare stainless steel Rolex reference 6062 automatic triple calender with moonphases and Jubilee bracelet. This watch is ultra-rare because it is stainless steel. Rolex made many more in gold. This stainless steel Rolex has an estimated range between $140k-$220k. [Lot 349]

Next, we have an unusual Rolex Submariner reference 5514 manufactured in 1970 with a helium release valve.

Chistie's point out "Reference 5514 is an extremely rare variant of the well-known reference 5513, featuring a helium release valve usually reserved for the professional deep sea line, Sea-Dweller. It is understood that only an extremely small number of reference 5514 was ever made and that they were never available to the public. Few professionals and scientific organizations had the privilege of ordering specific and small quantities of the tailor-made versions such as COMEX (Compagnie Maritime d'Expertise), a professional diving operation for the oil industry. In fact, many examples of reference 4414 feature the COMEX-logo on the dial and a COMEX issue number on the case back." [Lot 164]

This next piece is amazing to me. It is a rare and unusual stainless steel automatic Rolex Turn-O-Graph made in 1953, with a reference number 6202 and a white honeycomb dial.

According to Christie's, "The present watch is a rare example of the celebrated Turn-O-Graph reference 6202 model, fitted with the less common white honeycomb dial. Marketed as a tool watch, the Turn-O-Graph is commonly accepted as one of the godfathers of all Rolex sports watches preceding most notably the Submariner and consequently the Sea Dweller and also the GMT-Master."

"The Turn-O-Graph was presented at the Basel Fair in 1953, the year of production of the present watch. The model was always fitted with a rotating bezel with five minute divisions, referred to as a time-recording-rim by Rolex. Designed to be used as a simplified chronograph version for timing events for up to an hour, it was promoted as being able to calculate the Timing of a transatlantic telephone call, the rate of a machine, a patient's pulse, the speed of a train or the development of a film. The Turn-O-Graph was available with a black dial, the De Luxe Model featured a magnificent white honey-comb dial.

"Despite its brilliant concept, the model was at the time not as successful as excepted by Rolex, mainly due to the simultaneous in-house competition from the Submariner and the GMT-Master." [Lot394]

Note: I refer to this combination of a white Rolex dial with a black bezel as the Oreo Cookie.

Last but not least we see the star of the Rolex Show which is a 35mm reference 3525 stainless steel chronograph with a black dial and pulsometre scale on an early riveted Rolex Oyster bracelet, which was made during the middle of World War II in 1941. This watch is estimated to get between $140k-$220k and its provenance is from the Mondani Collection. [Lot 80]